POLITICS - The public was neither protected nor informed as negotiations on a modified lease progressed between the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and the University of Southern California. This unholy union between public facility and private school became official this week, resulting in the birth of an agreement that not even a mother could love– but one that USC loves plenty.
And, why wouldn’t they? The new lease, which was approved by every Coliseum Commissioner, except me, almost exclusively benefits the university. My colleagues on the commission did not do enough to take the community’s interests or the taxpayers’ interests to heart while negotiating this deal.
Concerns over the preservation, accessibility and responsibility of the Coliseum are warranted, especially given the secretive nature in which this process took place and the fact that, as part of the new lease, USC has limited public access to the stadium to eight days a year.
But, it is the commission that should shoulder most of the blame. The commission did most of its dealing with USC behind closed doors, gave the Coliseum away without ever finding out for sure how much it was worth and threw in the Sports Arena to boot.
Despite the many problems with the proposal, nothing could stop it; not even the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) investigating the Coliseum’s General Manager for allegedly negotiating a job for himself with USC while negotiating the new lease with the university. The concerns of state officials and watchdog groups who questioned the one-sidedness of the deal also took a backseat to USC’s desires.
In the end, USC got something for almost nothing. They acquired an historic, public venue for no money down; sort of like you could get a car or a household appliance. And while there are talks that new USC management will contribute mightily to the Coliseum, the university also stands to gain mightily by receiving all revenue from commercial events and naming rights, with the city, county and state not seeing a cent.
(Bernard Parks is Los Angeles City Councilman for the 8th Council District and Chair of the Education and Neighborhoods Committee. He also serves on the Coliseum Commission. He can be reached at: [email protected]) –cw
Tags: Bernard Parks, Councilman Parks, City Council, Coliseum, Coliseum Commission, Los Angeles, USC
CityWatch
Vol 10 Issue 41
Pub: May 22, 2012
